Drinks for the Spirit

Seemingly ordinary beer, wine, tea and coffee have their roots in religion because the mysterious alchemy of bacteria makes seemingly ordinary things like wheat, grapes and camellia leaves morph magically into something far more heavenly.

Wine and Judaism

“Blessed art Thou o Lord our God who created the fruit of the vine.” Fermenting grapes is exquisite science and exquisite art so the finished product can lift the spirit in many ways. That’s one reason early Hebrews equated wine with celebration. Because grapes, hanging as they do in thick clusters, became the symbol of abundance and physical blessing, the Bible speaks of wine as both nourishment and joy. Fermented grape juice was commonly imbibed at meals, used in sacrificial rituals and conspicuously featured in festive occasions.